The man was pulled from the sea at Karon Beach at around 4:45pm on Saturday (Sept 22). Photo: The Phuket News / File

An officer from Karon Police, who declined to be named, confirmed to The Phuket News this morning, “A tourist drowned at Karon Beach at about 4:45pm on Saturday (Sept 22). He was a Japanese national aged 62 and his name is Nobuhiko Suzuki.”

An official from Karon Municipality, who also declined to be named, added, “I checked with lifeguards who were on duty at Karon Beach on Sept 22 and they advised me that the tourist’s family found him floating face down in the water so they brought him to shore.

“Lifeguards performed CPR and tried to save his life but they were unsuccessful,” he said.

The officer from Karon Police confirmed, “The man was taken to Patong Hospital where he was confirmed as being dead.

“Right now we are gathering more information from his relatives and witnesses. His death has been reported to the Japanese Embassy in Bangkok today.

“Sorry, this is all the information we are able to provide for now,” Karon Police said.

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Yeah...lifeguards at Karon are pathetic...lazy and not worthy of the job they hold. Just beach bums that are more concerned with their beach chair rentals. There are no patrols, there is no professionalism, this is just the tragic result of Phuket's shameful mismanagement of the lifeguard situation. This news will travel to Japan with a vengeance, as they don't put up with stuff like this...